The sun sets over the Yavuz Selim Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
Tonight, it is Shab e baraat and I am in Istanbul under a curfew due to the Corona virus that has invaded the whole world.
As I finish my Yaseen after Maghrib I remember the Dream. I text Im’s mother to remind me of the details of the dream. As she relates the dream of her son Im, Tariq’s best friend I realize now with sudden clarity that they were not destined to make it to the next Shab e barat after the dream.
What is Shab e Baraat?
It is the night when accounts are called in by The Divine and examined and the Books of Fate are rewritten by the Angels at the command of the Divine. The hand of the Angel of death is stayed between maghrib and isha on this auspicious night. all prayers are heard and granted, repentance is accepted and forgiveness is meted out.
“During this night the fate of each person is decided, whether he will live or die in the coming year, get married or not, have children or remain childless, whether he will find wealth or poverty..” ( A Adil book on Ramadan)
Thus, fasting on the day before and the day after this night is recommended.
Once upon a time there were three boys who lived a magical life, handsome, polite and seeping with charisma, loved by all.
One of them: Im came to his mother after the night of laylatul Beraa or Shabe Baraat as it is called in Pakistan and said “ Mom I had a dream last night” His mother looked at him questioningly? “ what kind of dream she asked?”
“ I dreamt that there were three halos of light up in the sky”.
The spirits of each of the three boys did not make it to the next Shab e Baraat, they had all departed this earth on July 13 and when September came around with Shab e Baraat, they already were three halos in the sky.
Siraat-e-Mustaqeem 